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You'd be a real boob to pass on Redfern's new arts bar and creative space, The Bearded Tit. Named after a moustachioed song-bird, this is a place where colourful characters flock.

The Bearded Tit sits on the quiet side of Regent Street, where the commercial flourish of the neighbourhood peters out into office spaces and convenient stores. That is, until you reach 183. Inside, it's a museum of oddities, where the weird and wonderful come together in a circus of colour and activity. Leave your inhibitions at the door by the collection of crocheted penises. There are barber chairs, fruit chandeliers and a taxidermy boar playing the trumpet — you get the idea.

For so much zaniness, the cocktail list is surprisingly sober, with a short selection of time-honoured classics. Among the usual suspects is a seasonal special, the Kee Kee Cinnamon Bum ($17), which combines apple, vodka and cinnamon into a delightfully drinkable apple pie. On tap, take your pick from Reschs ($6.50), Murray's Angry Man Pale Ale ($8.50) or Peroni ($9), or indulge your inner child with the Lick Pier Alcoholic Ginger Beer ($11).

Not quite exciting enough for you? Well right now in Mexico, local herbs are being steeped in mezcal for two moon cycles. They're called wildbloom tequila infusions and they'll be available at the bar in shot and cocktail form in the upcoming weeks.

While The Bearded Tit doesn't have a kitchen, it does plate up some pretty good food, courtesy of local talents Lorentto Pizzeria and Wah Fung. The espanola pizza ($13) combines prawns and pepperoni together in a culturally blasphemous union (but it's soon forgiven on account of its deliciousness). The salt and pepper squid ($17) is the real Chinese deal, a crunchy pile of squid, chilli and shallots — no pub versions here. For a salty bar snack, you can't go past a paper bag of Kitty's Jumping Beans ($4) for some deep-fried broad bean action.

With a revolving cultural program of arts and music soon to be released, you can guarantee a good lark at The Bearded Tit.